DVC Members’ MagicBands Will Trigger Special Entry at Walt Disney World

When you visit Walt Disney World, you will notice that when you scan your MagicBand or card that the ring around the Mickey head will light up and turn to a solid green if you are cleared to enter. This is the “green light” to let you and the cast member know that your entry into the park is valid. Now, for DVC members that have their DVC membership linked to their My Disney Experience account, there will be a new special color that appears at the touch points. The color will turn to purple instead of the usual green.

This creates a little special touch for DVC members to give them a little bit of special welcome into the park. Disney takes very good care of their Disney Vacation Club members by offerings special events, an exclusive lounge, parties, etc. This is just another added touch to help show appreciation and extra prestige for being a DVC member.

Check out our article below 5 Reasons You Should Buy DVC… And 5 Reasons Not To by David

The decision to buy a Disney Vacation Club membership can be grueling to make, especially if you’re sitting across the table from a friendly sales representative, who has been showing you the benefits of ownership for the past hour. Sure, Disney Vacation Club provides great experiences for families from all over the globe, but is it right for you? Below, you’ll find five reasons to buy DVC and five reasons not to buy. Only you can determine which category fits you.

Reasons To Buy:

5. Savings

Purchasing a 50-year DVC membership provides great value for repeated guests of Walt Disney World. Essentially, you pre-pay for future vacations, meaning that you’ll avoid some of the highest price increases over the years. Of course, DVC owners pay yearly maintenance fees, but these expenses are negligible compared to resort costs for regular guests. Members also avoid the hefty 12.5% hotel tax since they’re consider owners instead of visitors, and multiple guests can stay without incurring additional charges. In the long run, you’ll save thousands of dollars for Disney vacations.

4. Gifting Them to Your Children

Even if you tire of visiting Walt Disney World as you age and your children grow up, you’ll find DVC useful in the future. For example, you can give vacations to your family and friends whenever you don’t plan to use your DVC points before they expire. Also, you can deed or will your ownership to your children when you’ve decided that you won’t be using it anymore. Imagine the joy you’ll one day bring to your grandchildren when they experience their dream vacation.

3. Better for Large Parties

DVC properties provide deluxe villas with plenty of room for large families. Some locations group studios and villas to host eight or nine guests comfortably, others provide similar accommodations in a single unit, and the grand villas sleep up to twelve. If you normally travel with large groups, then purchasing a lot of DVC points becomes necessary. Otherwise, members may bank their points from the previous year, borrow from other members, or rent points from a retail outlet. DVC provides extra space and premium value that you won’t find by reserving two or three rooms at other Disney resorts.

2. Membership Extras

Disney Vacation Club members received additional savings for select dining, spa treatments, recreational activities, merchandise, tours, and theme park tickets and annual passes. In addition, owners have access to special events, such as VIP tours, seasonal parties, tournaments, cruises, festival experiences, demonstrations, shows, movie screenings, and more. Disney recently opened the first DVC Member Lounge at the Imagination Pavilion in Epcot, giving members a quiet place to relax, let the children play, recharge devices, use computers with printers, access free Wi-Fi, and receive complimentary soft drinks. To make DVC ownership more attractive, Disney constantly invents new benefits, so looking forward to the future can be exciting.

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1. Resale Markets

Unlike timeshares, DVC ownership retains value over the years. A handful of resorts have even appreciated for those who bought them early, though most will depreciate some. However, knowing that you can sell DVC membership in a vibrant market whenever you’re finished with it provides an added layer of protection for your purchase. Disney has attempted through the years to dissuade buyers from purchasing used properties; recently, they imposed a restriction of membership extras to those buying directly from them. However, this policy hasn’t hurt the resale market, since bargain pricing still attracts buyers. But even if you don’t want to sell, but you can’t vacation at Walt Disney World for a few years, you can still rent out your DVC points and put the money towards maintenance fees.

Reasons Not to Buy:

5. Infrequent Use

If you don’t visit Walt Disney World at least once every two years, then avoid buying DVC. You’ll save more money by simply booking rooms as you need them. Owning a membership only benefits repeat visitors, especially those who can’t let a year pass without making the pilgrimage to see Mickey. Disney’s sales representatives will tout the flexibility of using DVC points to book Disney Cruises and Adventures by Disney or to exchange into the RCI system for alternative destinations. However, such plans use an excessive amount of points, thereby diminishing their value, so sporadic Disney World travelers should stay away.

4. Upfront and Annual Costs

Though savings add up over time with membership, upfront costs will climb above thirteen thousand dollars and skyrocket far above that for some home resorts and higher amounts of

DVC points. You must purchase a minimum of 100 points when you sign up, and don’t forget hundreds of dollars in annual maintenance fees. Disney offers financing options, but the interest you’ll pay offsets your savings. In addition, consider how inflation will increase annual maintenance fees in the future to determine if you can afford ownership. Unless you have a stash of disposable cash to pay the upfront costs and your budget can accommodate increasing fees, you shouldn’t invest in a DVC property.

3. Cheaper Prices at Resale Outlets

Perhaps you want to enjoy the cost benefits of owning a DVC membership, but you aren’t crazy about signing a 50-year contract or you can’t afford the initial expenses. In this case, don’t buy DVC directly from Disney, but check the resale markets. These outlets purchase used memberships and resell them to prospective buyers. With only 40, 30 or 20 years left on a DVC contract, you’ll pay significantly less; of course, yearly fees still apply. Realize, however, that those buying DVC secondhand won’t receive the membership extras mentioned above, since they require membership cards issued directly by Disney. Nevertheless, if getting a great bargain is your primary goal, then resale markets make perfect sense.

2. Too Much Planning

Walt Disney World vacations already require a lot of planning to make the magic happen at its highest level. You need to choose your restaurants 180 days in advance if you’re picking popular dining spots, Fastpass+ selections 60 days in advance for popular attractions, shows, and character meet-and-greets, and your daily theme park selections based upon the previous choices. Using Disney Vacation Club entails an additional level of planning that spontaneous travelers may find daunting. To ensure that you reserve the rooms and resorts you want, you need to place your name on the waitlist seven months ahead of time. Otherwise, you’re at the mercy of whatever is available. Impulsive Disney fans find this process frustrating and shouldn’t buy DVC membership if planning ruins the magic.

1. Value and Moderate Shoppers

A preference for staying at deluxe level resorts at lower costs over the long-term remains the biggest draw for owning a DVC membership. You’ll notice that value and moderate resorts don’t even appear on the list. Frequent users of inexpensive accommodations, who don’t mind sacrificing deluxe amenities and benefits, should avoid buying a membership. They can use their savings for theme park tickets and souvenirs. With many non-Disney hotels surrounding the area, choosing to stay off-property to save money on future vacations may even be the wiser choice, one that’s impractical with DVC membership.

About Christy Caby

I am a long time Disney addict! This love began as a child and stayed with me in my teen years. I completed the Disney College Program, was engaged and honeymooned at Disney, visited WDW while pregnant with each of our two boys, and have brought our boys since they were babies (they are now 5 and 2).

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